Pleasure Beach earmark topic of Missouri senate race ad

An attack ad by the campaign of Republican John Brunner, a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Claire McCaskill, focuses on an earmark that provided funds for Bridgeport’s Pleasure Beach.

The ad points out McCaskill voted for the earmark, which set aside $1.9 million to develop a water taxi service to Pleasure Beach. The money was approved in 2009, and the water taxi project has not yet launched.

Last week, city officials met with the public to unveil a “master plan” for Pleasure Beach, which is not set to open until, at the earliest, the end of 2012. The permitting process has been completed to build a floating dock that would be used by the taxi.

The ad claims McCaskill has said she “disagrees with earmarks,” but didn’t take the opportunity to vote against the Pleasure Beach funding when she had it. The ad shows the barren beachfront, trash, graffiti, and ramshackle cottages familiar to residents of Southwestern Connecticut, along with a postcard that says “Welcome to Pleasure Beach, Connecticut,” a sign that reads “Pleasure Beach: Population 0,” and tropical music.